Review of The Wiz (1978) by Tony P — 21 Jul 2008
It's a visually exciting adaptation, with some really brilliant costume design. The concept of fantasy characters against an urban backdrop is inventive and fun to watch, and Lumet does a fine job with it.
Funk and blues gives the music an edge, and also provides the characters with an attitude that was never present in the original Oz. Strong performances, a really smart screenplay, solid all around. But daaaaaaamn does it get boring fast.
After about the first hour I was checking the clock constantly. Every sequence is terribly formulaic. Lumet didn't use the camera to explore scenes in different ways, he essentially just filmed a production of the musical.
Maybe it's exciting for the kids, but I grew tired of it quickly. Once Richard Pryor showed up, though, I was a little more forgiving.
This review of The Wiz (1978) was written by Tony P on 21 Jul 2008.
The Wiz has generally received mixed reviews.
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